National Geographic Kids presents... IT'S A NUMBERS GAME!: FOOTBALL by Eric Zweig - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...

...and welcome to the It's a Numbers Game! Football Blog Tour!

I know, I know...I don't generally do sports related posts, but this was a pretty cool title coming out with National Geographic KIDS, so I wanted to pass on the news!  To celebrate the release of the newest addition to the It's a Numbers Game series AND the start of football season, this week blogs across the internet will be featuring special excerpts from It's a Numbers Game! Football by Eric Zweig with a foreword by NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes.  Join the tour each day this week as we explore the stats, digits, and dimensions of the game.  And be sure to have a pencil and paper ready to try your hand at some fun gridiron calculations! Ready, set, GO TEAM GO!

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The Need for Speed

STRENGTH AND SPEED 
Strength and speed are very important in football. The fastest players are usually wide receivers, cornerbacks, and running backs. A good blocker on the offensive line needs strength more than speed, but they also need science. It turns out that running backs require a lot of science, too. Grab your lab coat, and let’s go all STEM on this game.  
 
THE STUDY OF MOTION  
When talking about motion in football, we look at three key points: position, speed, and acceleration. Position can be as simple as where a running back lines up on the field. They line up in the backfield, usually a few steps away from the quarterback and even farther away from the defensive line. A running back will usually have a few steps to accelerate, or speed up, before a defensive player can get to him. The runner hopes to achieve a high speed as quickly as he can. Some running backs don’t have a lot of speed, but they can accelerate quickly. This gives them a burst of speed to pull away from the defense until someone faster catches up and tackles them. Other runners are slow to accelerate, but once they do, they can reach a high speed. Sometimes a running back will start out slowly on purpose. The runner might move carefully, to the right or left, waiting for an opening in the offensive line. When he sees it, he has to accelerate quickly. He plants a foot down hard onto the field. The force he applies stops his sideways motion and allows him to accelerate forward. If he can accelerate quickly, he will start to gain speed. Even though the running back may be faster than the defensive players, if the defenders can accelerate more quickly, they’ll tackle him before he can speed away. 

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SCIENCE STUFF
In the late 1600s, Sir Isaac Newton helped revolutionize science with his three laws of motion to describe the physical world. Newton probably didn’t have football in mind, but there’s an awful lot of physics involved in making a good block. Blocking is as simple as one player trying to stop another player from advancing. To do that, one body has to exert a certain amount of force on another body. Newton’s third law of motion says that when two bodies collide, each body exerts a force on the other that is equal but in the opposite direction. In order for one lineman to be able to push another out of the way, it helps to have a lower center of mass. That just means keeping your body low and driving up into your opponent’s body. This will throw off your opponent’s center of mass and allow you to use more torque (rotational force) to push him in the direction you need him to go. 

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Buy | Goodreads

Do you know how to calculate a quarterback’s completion percentage? What was the score of the highest scoring Super Bowl game? Become a football fanatic and learn all about the numbers and math behind this popular sport.

With every throw, tackle, and kick, numbers are being calculated on the football field. Get ready to learn all the ways digits and math factor into the game, from the countless statistics used to measure an individual player’s performance to the numbers used in defensive formations. Read about the greatest players from football history and get fascinating facts, like the price of a Super Bowl commercial. Discover which NFL team defenses have allowed the fewest points and check out cool graphics that show the angles in different pass patterns. Also features a er

Jam-packed with sports trivia, awesome photos, and fun activities at the end of every chapter, this number-focused look at the game is a definite touchdown.

 

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About the Author

Right: Young Eric as quarterback!

Website

Originally from Toronto, ERIC ZWEIG grew up as a fan of the CFL’s Argonauts, the NHL’s Maple Leafs, and the MLB’s Blue Jays. When he broke his wrist as a young boy, Eric got Argonauts quarterback and future NFL star Joe Theismann to sign his cast. Eric has been writing professionally about sports and sports history since 1985. He worked for a small Toronto-based publisher affiliated with the NHL for more than 20 years, and has written more than 40 books for adults and for children since 1992. Eric currently lives in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.

 

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GIVEAWAY

• Five (5) winners will receive the 4-book It's a Numbers Game! series, including Football, Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball
• US/Canada only
• Ends 9/25 at 11:59pm ET
• Enter via the Rafflecopter below
• Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Blog Tour Schedule:

September 12th — Bookhounds ​​​​​​
September 13th — Mama Likes This
September 14th — Always in the Middle
September 15th — Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
September 16th — A Dream Within A Dream

 

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Special thanks to Casey at Media Masters Publicity for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author/publisher for the special guest post. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. 

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Walden Pond Press presents... The Hurricanes of Weakerville by Chris Rylander - REVIEW!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today's review is coming in HOT.  How so?  Well, let's just say that while the team in today's featured title tries to pull a win out of you-know-where, some book enthusiast you know did a marathon read of this same said title in just under 4 hours...and is typing the review quite literally after having finished.  WHEW!  Yep, I'm tired, but I'm also ENTHUSIED, EXCITED, and so happy to share this book with all of you because while at first glance it appears to be for sports fans alone, it has SO MUCH MORE going for it than you'll ever know.  Well, okay, more than you knew before you started reading my post.  So, batters up!  It's time to take your reading game to the next level with today's title in the spotlight...

The Hurricanes of Weakerville

by

Chris Rylander

9780062327505

Walden Pond Press

About the book...

All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one passion: baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira.

Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there’s no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs.

When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He’s lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his sleeve: his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes.

Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy?

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Weakerville had its grand start like all small towns.  Someone bought a bit of land, brought about a few businesses, discovered something to build upon, and POOF...a town is born.  Legends though...now those take more time, more thought, more heart, and this story houses a BIG one at that.

At first look, this is a story about a small town baseball team that's run out of luck, and run off the fans, leaving only the diehard believers behind in the bleachers to carry on the torch of their withering fandom.  Alex and his grandpa Ira were just such fans, but in truth, it was always more than just a game, more than just a way to pass time, and more than a collection of stats to decide whether the win was right around the corner, or the biggest lose was staring them down.  It was about spending time with friends and family.  It was about creating memories and traditions.  It was about celebrating the love of a game and watching players that truly enjoyed what they were doing, do it at their very best.  

When Alex loses Ira, it seemed like we might lose him.  He was already struggling with life, with confidence, with making friends...but his grandpa was a wise old soul.  He knew what he was doing even when the odds seems so far out of his favor they weren't even in the same playbook, and you know why?  It wasn't because he was graced with some all knowing power, or foresight; it was because he BELIEVED.  He believed in a game that could build the bridges between generations.  He believed the underdog could have their day.  He believed in doing right by people, and playing the game instead of the numbers.  Most of all...he believed in Alex, and that's something that no one, not even Alex, could take away once given.  Watching Alex muddle through everything that comes his way was challenging, but the growth he experiences, the truths he realizes, and the friendships he makes were well worth the struggles.

So pick up this story because it looks good, catches your eye, or you're a big fan of the game...but stick with this story because the messages it has to share are so much more important than the final score, and a great reminder of the bigger things in life no matter your age.

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About the author....

Chris Rylander is the author of the acclaimed and bestselling “Fourth Stall” saga, the “Codename Conspiracy” trilogy, and co-author of book three in the New York Times bestselling “House of Secrets” series. He lives in Chicago, where he eats a lot of raspberry jam and frequently tries to befriend the squirrels on his block.

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Special thanks to the Walden Pond Press team for the ARC for review! (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Walden Pond Press, and imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, so click on over to your favorite online retailer, or visit your local brick and mortar store today to snag your copy and start the adventure! Be sure to check out the other sites on this tour going on now in the blogosphere….

6/21 Nerdy Book Club @nerdybookclub

6/22 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust @bethshaum

6/23 Teachers Who Read @teachers_read

6/27 LitCoachLou @litcoachlou

6/28 Bluestocking Thinking @bluesockgirl

6/29 Walden Tumblr @waldenpondpress

7/1 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers @grgenius

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

WHAT'S THE BUZZ: One, Two, Follow Through! Starring Polly Pivot by Mary Jacobs - REVIEW!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're spreading a little pre book birthday BUZZ!

Summer has arrived and with it the need for something to do! Some kids go to camp, some go to summer courses, some like to read, and some like to play sports. Whatever sparks their interest, gets them motivated, and moving during those holidays, is exactly what we aim to discover to keep them happy, healthy, and entertained, but as with anything enjoyable, a grumpy gus that thinks they know everything can spoil the fun. Check out exhibit 'A' in today's featured title...

One, Two, Follow Through! Starring Polly Pivot

by

Mary Jacobs

Illustrated by

Ron Noble

Triumph Books

RELEASE DATE: June 8th, 2021

About the book...

Polly Pivot is a young girl who loves to play golf. She faces an overwhelming issue when her instructor at camp, Greenskeeper Greenie, tells her and the other students there is only one way to swing her club. While following her gut instinct and being clever and brave, Polly is able to find her way back to her swing. She overcomes obstacles with her forward-thinking and passionate heart, which inspires her friends and teacher, showing them how important it is to stay true to yourself. 

With bright and lively drawings from Emmy-award winning illustrator Ron Noble, One, Two, Follow Through! carries both a universal and timeless message for all ages. Children will learn the importance of following their gut instinct and being their best selves through Polly’s eyes. Readers will be moved to see Polly's passion and forward thinking, which helps her overcome the obstacles that overwhelm her. The story will make readers ask questions, think outside the box, and be creative, while also highlighting the inclusiveness of children’s sports. There is no formula to success, however, trusting your natural abilities is the best place to start!

AMAZON

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This is the story of Polly Pivot. She's a young lady with a passion...for golf! Yep. She gets it from her family and she loves every swing, every club, every divot, and birdie...or at least she did. When she went to camp, SOMEONE that was suppose to be teaching these young golf enthusiasts was less about guiding and more about the Red Queen's method (“never YOUR way, only MY way”). Thing is...they are KIDS. Yes, perhaps you've got a future Tiger Woods, or Mary Jacobs, in your midst, but no two techniques are EXACTLY alike, and when they are learning, when they are already succeeding the way they have always been playing, THAT should be something to celebrate, to cultivate, not coach into oblivion in the most obstinate ways possible. Someone needed to show that grumpy gus what the game was all about...and leave it to our girl Polly to be the one to do it.

It's a tale that speaks of reaching for your dreams, come what may. It reminds young readers that anything worth having is worth putting forth the effort, but it doesn't have to all be an uphill battle. FUN is a three letter word not four, and should always be a part of the game, otherwise it becomes the four letter word (WORK in this case) and can zap all the good times to be had down the last hole. With summer upon us, it's a very timely release that I think will help kiddos feel more confident about new things they are showing an interest in, while reminding older readers to keep the FUN in the game.

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About the author...

MARY JACOBS grew up in Southern Illinois, the youngest of six with five older brothers. She received a full golf scholarship to Tulane University, and transferred to The University of Arizona in 2005 where she became an All-American golfer. She won a Bronze Medal while representing the USA in the world Olympic Games, and briefly thereafter finished her playing career. She is now a highly esteemed LGPA Teaching and Club Professional in Southern California where she resides with her partner.

Learn more about One, Two, Follow Through! by connecting with Jacobs on Instagram, Facebook, and her website.

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About the illustrator...

RON NOBLE is an Emmy Award Winning Animation Director and lifelong cartoonist. After graduating from Syracuse University and creating an award-winning animated short Living in Ridalyn, he moved to Los Angeles to work as a storyboard artist for Klasky Csupo Studios. He served as a supervising director on Nickelodeon’s The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, As Told by Ginger, All Grown Up, and Rugrats, where he won an Emmy for directing. He joined Cartoon Network in 2005 as lead storyboard artist by day while creating Nobletown Studios at night. With Nobletown, he has created dozens of animated videos and shorts, and continues to work as a storyboard artist for TV shows such as Space Racers and Legends of Chamberlain Heights. In addition to illustrating One, Two, Follow Through!, he is also working on a series of his own called Letter Beasties. Learn more on his Nobletown’s website and IMDB page, and connect with Noble on LinkedIn.

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Special thanks to PR by the Book for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title list, the author, or the illustrator, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY tomorrow, June 8th, 2021 via Triumph Books, so mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... DANNY MANN SUPER FAN by Ian Slatter - REVIEW!

Hi there! 

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 

Today, we’re showing up in our favorite team colors (oddly enough, I have none as I’m not a big sports fan, but for the sake of this post, let’s go with crimson and gold ala Gryffindor’s Quidditch team, shall we?) as we play host to a spot on Rachel’s Random Resources latest tour featuring a spunky young man who is most definitely a SUPER FAN! If you’ve ever cheered for the underdog, this one is for you, as we do a virtual crowd wave for today’s book of choice... 

Danny Mann Super Fan 

by 

Ian Slatter 

About the book... 

Danny loves Chadmouth Town Football Club more than anything, but a run of defeats and terrible luck has left them bottom of the table and looking certain to be relegated with time running out. 

But then, Danny and his best friend Nelson stumble across a bizarre pre-match ritual that seems to turn their luck around, and his beloved team starts winning again. Is it too little too late though, and can he keep doing everything right before each match, even when he starts finding more and more obstacles in his way and despite the relentless teasing from his classmates? It’s going to come down to the wire. 

Does Danny have what it takes to save Chadmouth’s season? 

AMAZON US | UK 

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Danny Mann supports the Chadmouth Town Football Club with all his heart. He and his family have been lifelong fans, but this season something different is playing out not only on the field, but in their local park. You see, his team stands the chance of not only falling short in the league, but falling out completely, what with their lack of winning history and funding. It’d be a sad day for Danny and his mates, but what can a single fan do against the odds not in their favor? Or perhaps a fan and a fantastic friend? What indeed! 

You know how some players have lucky rituals, lucky socks, lucky unmentionables, and so on? Well, it just might be that Danny has stumbled upon something like those that will help his team not only win, but stay in the league. I mean, doing SOMETHING is better than nothing, right? And when they start winning, who’s to say how it came to pass...only Danny, has that inside scoop, and only Danny sees that in order to keep them in the game, he’ll need to keep up the ritual in just the right way, at just the right time, in just the right order. If he does, they’re bound to win...right? Or he is merely bound for disappointment? Danny isn’t willing to find out, and even when his mate seems out of the game, he’s not taking no for an answer. You know why? Because Danny. Is. A. Super. Fan. 

A great story celebrating an athletic pastime that has grown into a worldwide sport celebrated by players and fans alike. Whether you call it soccer or football, the aim of the game is the same...to bring others together, to cheer for your favorite team whether top dog or under, and of course to win! Danny Mann Super Fan celebrates the fan in all of us with spirit, with determination, and heart. 

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About the author...

Ian published his debut novel, Eco Worrier, in 2020 - a middle grade adventure story with plenty of twists and turns and lots of laughs.

He has also written two non-fiction books for adults - Premier League Legends - the top 10 greatest Premier League players of all time and Incredible Moments in Sport.

Ian wrote for satirical website newsbiscuit.com for ten years, as well as writing for comedy sketch shows on ITV and BBC Radio.

TWITTER

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Special thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the book for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... Izzy's Magicial Football Adventure by Emma Larkin

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Rachel's Random Resources for a stop along their current promotion featuring a Children's Fiction release set to inspire the athlete in us all.  Now for my fellow US readers, it says football, but it means soccer over here...but trust me, it's no less requiring of talent, skill, and perseverance!  So, ladies and gents, if you would please join me center field for today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

Izzy's Magical Football Adventure

by

Emma Larkin

About the book...
Izzy is a seven-year-old girl who lives in Ireland and loves all sport, especially Gaelic Football.

Izzy plays football with her brothers on a regular basis in their back garden and dreams of playing for her county in the All Ireland Ladies Football Final in Croke Park when she is older.

One day, Izzy puts on her great grandmother’s bracelet, which is made of old All Ireland medals that her great grandmother won a long time ago, and something unexpected and magical happens, which may make Izzy’s Croke Park dream a reality sooner than she expected…………….

AMAZON  US  |  UK

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Honestly, I found it rather imaginative and I could really see it being inspirational for young girls that are interested in this particular sport or really ANY for that matter.  Izzy comes off as realistic, as does her disagreement with her brothers while playing around AND the snit afterwards, and the fallout of that argument is offset well by the creativity employed by the author to deliver a POSITIVE MESSAGE.  It reminds us that just because someone says we can't do something, or we'll never be any good at it, if it's our PASSION, if it's our DREAM, the only thing really stopping us is ourselves.

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About the author...

My name is Emma Larkin, and I am the founder of “Emma Larkin Books” and “Rebel in Kerry Press”. I have recently written and published my first book “Izzy’s Magical Football Adventure”, and I hope to write many more books about Izzy and her adventures in sport. As may be evident from the name of my publishing imprint, I am a “Rebel in Kerry”! This means that I am originally from County Cork in Ireland, which is known as the Rebel County, but I moved to Kerry (another county in Ireland which neighbours Cork) in 2006 and have been happily living in Kerry since then, with my husband and four children. My husband is a Kerry native and we live in North Kerry, near Listowel, where my husband is from, and is an area which is rich is literary history!

I have always enjoyed reading and writing. Writing essays was my favourite part of primary school!

In my spare time, I love to run. I am very involved in my local parkrun in Listowel. I also coach ladies’ football at underage level with my local ladies’ football club and did attempt to play ladies football for a few years with my local “Gaelic4Mothers&Others Team”! I may not have been the greatest football player, but I could run! And it was an hour each week where I could exercise in a fun environment with a fantastic group of women, who I remain friends with to this day.

My inspiration to write this book was my grandmother, Maureen Hennebry, née Cashman. She was on the Cork camogie team which won the All-Ireland Camogie Championship three times in row between 1939 and 1941. She came from a family rich in GAA history, the Cashman’s of Blackrock in Cork, and is even mentioned in the following poem by the famous Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh:

Camogie Match

Patrick Kavanagh 1905 - 1967

Bright shone the sunlight on Peggy and Doreen

Wild swung the ash sticks. Be careful astoreen;

Josie is getting into her stride now,

Kathleen is hurling with all her Cork pride now.

A shout from the side-line: Mark your man, Kathleen Cody.

Kathleen pucks it. I tell you that puck was a dotie.

The game is exciting, it is indeed really,

Maureen Cashman is tackling the bold Ide O’Kiely …

In hindsight, I am in awe of the fact that my grandmother and her teammates played camogie at such a high level at a time in Ireland, where a woman’s role was predominantly to be a wife and homemaker. Which comes to my reason for writing this book, my grandmother was my inspiration to write it, but my reason for writing it was to encourage all young girls to play sports. It is crucial for our wellbeing and development and we need to make it as normal for girls to play sport as it is for boys. The growing popularity of women’s sports in Ireland and further afield is so encouraging and we need to continue to develop this. As the current 20*20 campaign says, “if she can’t see it, she can’t be it”. I hope that my book can in some way help to normalise girls playing football and that both boys and girls will enjoy reading about Izzy’s adventures!

Visit the following websites for more information;

20*20 campaign - www.20x20.ie

Sport Ireland – www.sportireland.ie

Ladies Gaelic Football Association – www.ladiesgaelic.ie

Camogie Association – www.camogie.ie

Women in sport - www.womeninsport.org

TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun...

 Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!